A former North Kerry nursing home taken over by the HSE by court order during the pandemic is for sale.
Oaklands Nursing Home closed in December 2020 following a COVID-19 outbreak in which nine residents died.
The property on the outskirts of Listowel just off the N69 road on the Tarbert side, is now for sale at a price of €1.5 million.
Gary O’Driscoll & Co Ltd Auctioneers describe the former nursing home as a substantial commercial property on a site area of just over 2.9 acres.
The building itself contains facility for 56 bedrooms, all en-suite, three large recreational/sitting rooms, a fully-fitted kitchen, dining rooms, and relaxation facilities.
The agent says a substantial rear extension to the original building, which has allowed for a further 16 en-suite bedrooms, is about 70% complete and requires full completion before it will be fit for use.
On November 19th 2020, the HSE was directed by court order to take over the running of the private nursing home which operated there, for a two-week period.
A HIQA inspection two weeks earlier found the centre to be in chaos, with COVID-positive residents mingling with non-COVID patients, and residents “wandering around the centre”.
As well as that, residents hadn’t been informed some staff had tested positive but had been asymptomatic, and those presenting with classic COVID symptoms were not treated as potential positive cases.
Nine residents died as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, in which 31 residents and 16 staff at Oaklands contracted the virus.
Bolden Nursing Homes Ltd, the private company which operated the centre, entered voluntary liquidation in March 2021.
The company, owned by Michael and Mary O'Donoghue of Coolaclarig, Listowel, declared total company assets of €1.6 million and liabilities of €634,000 In a declaration of solvency document filed with the Companies Registration Office.
